Diagnosis (ubsunurensis). Halys pit viper of “Gloydius halys” complex is diagnosed by the combination of the fol- lowing features: (1) a large number of ventral scales (V+PreV) from 171 to 188; (2) a large number of sub- caudal scales: 47–53 in males and 42–46 in females; (3) a large number of light bands around the body: 35–41; (4) a large number of light bands around the body and the tail: 47–63; (5) a light background “desert” coloration of the body dorsal surface. For detailed comparisons see KROPACHEV & ORLOV 2017: 141.

Comment

Venomous!

Distribution: see maps in ORLOV & BARABANOV 1999.

Subspecies: Agkistrodon halys ussuriensis and other subspecies have been elevated to full species status. G. h. liupanensis has been elevated to full species status by Xu et al. 2012.

Type species: Trigonocephalus Halys — BOIE 1827 is the type species of the genus Gloydius HOGE & ROMANO-HOGE 1981, a replacement name for Halys GRAY 1849, which is pre-occupied by Halys FABRICIUS 1803 (Hemiptera). See also MCDIARMID et al. 1999 for further discussion.